Advertisers Believe in Seth MacFarlane as Oscar Host While Some Critics . . . Not So Much

Exciting news for ABC: Advertisers are seemingly so confident in Oscar host Seth MacFarlane’s ability to draw an audience that they’re paying more for placement in this year’s telecast than they did for 2012’s show hosted by Academy Awards veteran Billy Crystal. Ad Agereports that the network has nearly sold out ad space and is aiming to sell the remaining spots for as much as $2 million for 30 seconds. Other spots of the same length sold for $1.65–$1.8 million, up from last year’s $1.6–$1.7 million. Although the difference may seem minor, a senior V.P. of primetime-ad sales at the network boasts, “We haven’t been this well sold, this early, in over a decade.” The Oscar-ad-sales uptick may be due in part to a slightly recovering economy but also to MacFarlane, whom a marketing officer from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences credits with “help[ing] us cast a wide net.” Per Ad Age, the Academy is also banking on the fact that Mr. MacFarlane may be able to recruit part of hisFamily Guy fan base to the Oscars broadcast, on February 24.

Speaking of MacFarlane’s fan base, television critics did not appear to be part of that demographic on Thursday after viewing the host's humorized rendition of the annual Oscar-nominations announcement. While some [meekly raises hand] thought his infusion of humor to be the “breath of fresh air” that the supporting-actor category was not, others have panned MacFarlane for his “smug, condescending” treatment of the Hollywood institution. Specifically, their gripes appear to be with several jokes made at the expense of the actual nominees as well as one directed at Hitler. While reading the best-director nominees, MacFarlane cracked, “These are five people who are the very best at sitting in a chair and watching other people make a movie.” After revealing thatAmour had been nominated, he added, “I readAmour was co-produced in Austria and Germany, right? The last time Austria got together and co-produced something it was Hitler, but this is much better.”

After the critical fall-out, MacFarlane took to Twitter to revise the latter joke. “Lotta flap over that Adolf joke. Look, Amourwas a great film, so how about this: Austria, we’ll give you the Oscar if you take back Arnold.” If he wants to appease critics though, perhaps MacFarlane would be better off heeding the advice dispensed by one Twitter user, Mitchell, who immediately responded, “It’s the #Oscars Seth. You need to be Bob Hope not Bob Saget.”